Apple paying BuzzFeed to release show first on Apple News

Posted:
in iOS
A show by BuzzFeed News initially launched on Apple News was part of an exclusivity agreement between the publisher and Apple, a report claims, with Apple sharing advertising revenue in an attempt to get more high profile video content for its news-based app.

Buzzfeed News iPad iOS Apple News


The documentary series "Future History:1968" was first shown on Apple News before other outlets as part of a three-episode "first-window rights" deal, BuzzFeed head of audience development Roxanne Emadi told Digiday. As part of the deal, the three episodes were published to Apple News one week in advance of uploads for Facebook Watch, YouTube, Twitter, and BuzzFeed's own app.

In exchange for this advanced availability, Apple agreed to provide a share of revenue from pre-roll advertising, as well as highlighting the show in its featured video galleries across each weekend. BuzzFeed also sent a push notification out to Apple News users who followed BuzzFeed News about the episodes.

It appears the deal was a success for BuzzFeed, based on viewing figures. Emadi advises the first week of the show received "several hundreds of thousands" of views across all three episodes, while the same episodes have achieved more than 110 thousand views across YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter over a similar period.

The time-limited exclusive is an attempt by Apple to take on other social media-based outlets by offering video content that its competition cannot, at least for a brief period of time. This strategy requires high-quality content to be effective, which led to the deal with BuzzFeed.

"Building a great news business is a focus for us, of course," advised Emandi. "So we're focused on quality premium shows and series, and not throwaway social videos, which I think is really new for news."

News of the deal surfaces at a time when online publishers are apparently having problems reaching users of social media. One report from Tubular Labs claims BuzzFeed News' viewership on Facebook tumbled dramatically since the start of the year, shifting from 45.4 million views in January down to 11.3 million in March.

The agreement between Apple News and BuzzFeed could help encourage other content producers wary of potentially low revenues to create videos for the platform.

While the push for video on Apple News is underway, it is not the only way Apple is attempting to encourage more users to view the service as providing quality content. On Monday, Apple promoted what is believed to be its first ever exclusive, publishing excepts from an upcoming memoir by U.S. Senator John McCain titled "The Restless Wave."

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 15
    elijahgelijahg Posts: 2,753member
    Buzzfeed?? Not sure too many will be coming to Apple News specifically to read that crap, no idea why Apple would want to associate itself with the lowest form of news..? At least team up with a real news outlet.
    SpamSandwichh2ppotatoleeksoupmonstrositytrashman69
  • Reply 2 of 15
    wigbywigby Posts: 692member
    elijahg said:
    Buzzfeed?? Not sure too many will be coming to Apple News specifically to read that crap, no idea why Apple would want to associate itself with the lowest form of news..? At least team up with a real news outlet.
    The bar has been has lowered so much, many people would trust Buzzfeed over Facebook.
    trashman69lolliver
  • Reply 3 of 15
    SpamSandwichSpamSandwich Posts: 33,407member
    There is the National Enquirer, then there is TMZ, then there is BuzzFeed... the pile of garbage at the end of the rainbow.
    potatoleeksoup
  • Reply 4 of 15
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    Buzzfeed is a stain on humanity.
    SpamSandwichelijahgpotatoleeksoupmonstrositytrashman69
  • Reply 5 of 15
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    elijahg said:
    Buzzfeed?? Not sure too many will be coming to Apple News specifically to read that crap, no idea why Apple would want to associate itself with the lowest form of news..? At least team up with a real news outlet.
    Certainly don’t associate with them, but what is a real news outlet? The Guardian? Maybe. Most “news” outlets these days create the news, and it’s not news. And it’s also basically always negative. Or non-entertainment-entertainment.
    edited May 2018 SpamSandwich
  • Reply 6 of 15
    SpamSandwichSpamSandwich Posts: 33,407member
    ireland said:
    elijahg said:
    Buzzfeed?? Not sure too many will be coming to Apple News specifically to read that crap, no idea why Apple would want to associate itself with the lowest form of news..? At least team up with a real news outlet.
    Certainly don’t associate with them, but what is a real news outlet? The Guardian? Maybe. Most “news” outlets these days create the news, and it’s not news. And it’s also basically always negative. Or non-entertainment-entertainment.
    Almost all news is “fake news”. What does that mean? It means what passes for news is often someone’s special interest disguised as general information. Always look for the “ask” couched inside news coverage and ask yourself who benefits by the story coverage.
    edited May 2018 potatoleeksoup
  • Reply 7 of 15
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,176member
    ireland said:
    elijahg said:
    Buzzfeed?? Not sure too many will be coming to Apple News specifically to read that crap, no idea why Apple would want to associate itself with the lowest form of news..? At least team up with a real news outlet.
    Certainly don’t associate with them, but what is a real news outlet? The Guardian? Maybe. Most “news” outlets these days create the news, and it’s not news. And it’s also basically always negative. Or non-entertainment-entertainment.
    Almost all news is “fake news”. What does that mean? It means what passes for news is often someone’s special interest disguised as general information. Always look for the “ask” couched inside news coverage and ask yourself who benefits by the story coverage.
    It's "fake" to those who prefer not to believe it and "truth" to others. There's lots of stuff that gets written even here by various otherwise intelligent posters and passed off as "Fact!" and no amount of actual proof otherwise is going to change what they claim. The "fake" stuff will get posted over and over because that's what they would prefer is true. Truth is less important than it should be.
    edited May 2018 singularity
  • Reply 8 of 15
    Rayz2016Rayz2016 Posts: 6,957member
    ireland said:
    elijahg said:
    Buzzfeed?? Not sure too many will be coming to Apple News specifically to read that crap, no idea why Apple would want to associate itself with the lowest form of news..? At least team up with a real news outlet.
    Certainly don’t associate with them, but what is a real news outlet? The Guardian? Maybe. Most “news” outlets these days create the news, and it’s not news. And it’s also basically always negative. Or non-entertainment-entertainment.
    Almost all news is “fake news”. What does that mean? It means what passes for news is often someone’s special interest disguised as general information. Always look for the “ask” couched inside news coverage and ask yourself who benefits by the story coverage.
    Indeed. 
  • Reply 9 of 15
    gutengelgutengel Posts: 363member
    Buzz Feed is an interesting choice, I wonder why they did that selection. I think something like Vox Media would be more in-line with Apple's vision, besides bring more relevant and better curated.
  • Reply 10 of 15
    SpamSandwichSpamSandwich Posts: 33,407member
    gutengel said:
    Buzz Feed is an interesting choice, I wonder why they did that selection. I think something like Vox Media would be more in-line with Apple's vision, besides bring more relevant and better curated.
    Vox is even more politically Left-lopsided than typical news outlets because of the views of their founders. Total propagandistic rubbish.
    edited May 2018 elijahgpotatoleeksouptrashman69
  • Reply 11 of 15
    gutengelgutengel Posts: 363member
    gutengel said:
    Buzz Feed is an interesting choice, I wonder why they did that selection. I think something like Vox Media would be more in-line with Apple's vision, besides bring more relevant and better curated.
    Vox is even more politically Left-lopsided than typical news outlets because of the views of their founders. Total propagandistic rubbish.
    Who's mentioning any politics? I'm referring to the quality of the production and relevance. You're free to read and believe whatever you want. I bet you're one of of those who make Apple Insider Moderators close the comment section on any political related news they cover...
    fastasleepStrangeDaysjony0
  • Reply 12 of 15
    SpamSandwichSpamSandwich Posts: 33,407member
    gutengel said:
    gutengel said:
    Buzz Feed is an interesting choice, I wonder why they did that selection. I think something like Vox Media would be more in-line with Apple's vision, besides bring more relevant and better curated.
    Vox is even more politically Left-lopsided than typical news outlets because of the views of their founders. Total propagandistic rubbish.
    Who's mentioning any politics? I'm referring to the quality of the production and relevance. You're free to read and believe whatever you want. I bet you're one of of those who make Apple Insider Moderators close the comment section on any political related news they cover...
    Bringing up Vox Media is inherently political.
    potatoleeksoupmonstrosity
  • Reply 13 of 15
    While I enjoy many things apple apple news is a big bite of shite. Was hoping Tim could help clean things up in a world of abject moneyed filth re "news" 24hr tmz mind control clickbait hate apple news is sadly no different before or after or in-between political leanings. C'mon TC 
  • Reply 14 of 15
    BuzzFeed is a failing pile of garbage. Avoid.
    SpamSandwichtrashman69
  • Reply 15 of 15
    monstrositymonstrosity Posts: 2,234member
    Good lord Buzzfeed!! Apple should hang it's head in shame. 


    U2 2.0
    edited May 2018 SpamSandwich
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